Member company SJ Weir is celebrating 100 years of building in Ballarat and beyond.

This year also marks the 70^th year of Master Builders Association of Victoria membership for the Ballarat based company which had humble beginnings when Sydney John Weir began operations in 1914.

“Building companies like SJ Weir are rare and valued by Master Builders,” Master Builders CEO Radley de Silva said.

“We look forward to honouring SJ Weir at the upcoming President’s Inauguration for their 70 years of membership.”

The company started out doing cottage building and repair work but soon expanded to larger jobs like factory building. In 1919 Sydney Weir paid 1 Pound as his first annual subscription fee to the Master Builders Association of Ballarat. He was elected president of the Ballarat sector in 1923 and 1932. SJ Weir joined Master Builders Association of Victoria in 1944.
A true family business, Sydney’s oldest son Jack joined the business in 1928 and his second son Forbes joined in 1939. In 1961, Jack’s son Ian joined the business in Ballarat and both of Forbes’ sons joined the business in Adelaide, Robert in 1966 and John in 1972.

Throughout the years, SJ Weir has worked on a number of iconic buildings in and around Ballarat. Among them are the five storey St John of God Hospital, opened in 1952, repair works to Ballarat Railway Station in 1982 and the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts in 2006.

During the Second World War, permit records show that SJ Weir won the majority of Commonwealth and State public works contracts in the Ballarat region including radar stations on Wedge Island and RAAF bases at Mt Gambier, Mildura, Nhill and Shepparton.
In 1953, SJ Weir Pty Ltd was established to meet the demands of the post-war period.

In 1985, Jack and Ian Weir retired and Daryl Elford was appointed Manager of the Ballarat operations. A new entity, SJ Weir (Ballarat) was establish in 2006 with Daryl Elford, Robert and John Weir as directors. The company is now under the directorship of Brian Barnes and Craig Jenkins and continues its proud history of building a brighter future for Ballarat and regional Victoria.